As Christmas approaches, this year’s iconic Christmas Day appearance by Kate Middleton will mark a significant moment for the senior Royal as she prepares to say goodbye to a challenging 12 months during which she privately battled an undisclosed form of cancer. The Princess of Wales, 42, is expected to join the rest of the Royal family on their annual Christmas walk on December 25, to St. Mary Magdalene’s church for the festive service.
Princess Kate was diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of the year and only went public with her diagnosis after wild conspiracy theories circulated online about her whereabouts when she disappeared from the public eye for several months. While undergoing chemotherapy, Kate was noticeably absent from many Royal engagements for several months but began to slowly return to key events back in Summer.
Some of her most notable appearances included Trooping the Colour and a trip to Wimbledon with Princess Charlotte. In September, the Princess shared a heartfelt video from her Norfolk home, announcing she had finished cancer treatment and was “looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months,” reports the Mirror.
Although Kate and Prince William skipped the pre-Christmas lunch hosted by King Charles last week, they are expected to attend the Christmas Day church service on the Sandringham estate.
“It’s going to be such a huge moment because the last time we saw her, before we knew anything about her health issues, was last Christmas,” Bethan Holt, fashion director at The Telegraph told PEOPLE. “It’s almost going to be like a bookend moment on a very difficult time.”
This annual event is a highlight for Royal watchers, who eagerly await a glimpse of the Princess’ stylish outfits. “Just seeing those interactions as they walk, the cousins all together and seeing the cheeky things they might be getting up to, there’s a real sense of them as a unit,” Holt says, adding, “It’s a glimpse into what they are like behind the scenes as a family. It’s a big moment for them in their year.”
Holt hopes Kate’s outfit this year will be “bold and celebratory” to mark the end of a challenging year. She’d love to see Kate pay tribute to Princess Diana with a “tartan coat” or something “really bright” and “jolly.”
Regardless of the royal’s choice, it will signify the conclusion of a challenging period in her life and a hopeful outlook towards 2025, which is expected to be less sombre than the current year.